Abstract
This article analyzes physical symptoms experienced by mid-age Australian women in different stages of the menopause transition. A total of 8,623 women, aged 45 to 50 years in 1996, who participated the mid-age cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, completed Survey 1 in 1996 and Survey 2 in 1998. Women were assignedto 1 of6menopause groups according totheir menopausal status at Surveys 1 and 2, and compared on symptoms experienced at Surveys 1 and 2, adjusted for lifestyle, behavioral and demographic factors. At Survey 1, the most commonly reported symptoms were headaches, back pain, stiff joints, tiredness, and difficulty sleeping. Perimenopausal women were more likely than premenopausal or postmenopausal women to report these symptoms. Hot flushes and night sweats were more common among postmenopausal women. Compared with those who remained premenopausal, women who were in the early stages of menopause or perimenopausal were more likely to report tiredness, stiff joints, difficulty sleeping, and hot flushes at Survey 2. Women who remained perimenopausal were also more likely to report back pain and leaking urine. Compared with premenopausal women, odds ratios for night sweats increased for women in consecutive stages of the menopause transition and remained high in the postmenopausal women.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avis, N., Brambilla, D., McKinlay, S. M., & Vass, K. (1994). A longitudinal analysis of the association between menopause and depression—results from the Massachusetts women’s health study.Annals of Epidemiology, 4, 214–220.
Avis, N., Kaufert, P., Lock, M., McKinlay, S. M., & Vass, K. (1993). The evolution of menopausal symptoms.Balliere’s Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism’International Practice and Research, 7(1), 17–32.
Avis, N. E., & McKinlay, S. M. (1990). Health care utilisation among mid-aged women.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 592, 228–238.
Brown, W. J., & Bauman, A. (2000). Comparison of estimates of population levels of physical activity using two measures.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24, 520–525.
Brown, W. J., Bryson, L., Byles, J. E., Dobson, A. J.,Lee, C., Mishra, G., & Schofield, M. (1998). Women’s Health Australia: Recruitment for a national longitudinal cohort study.Women and Health, 28(1), 23–40.
Brown, W. J., Mishra, G.,; & Lee, C. (2000). Leisure time physical activity in Australian women: Relationship with well-beingand symptoms.Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71(3) 206–216.
Collins, A., & Landgren, B-M. (1995). Reproductive health, use of oestrogen and experience of symptoms in peri-menopausal women: A population-based study.Maturitas, 20, 101–111.
Cooper, G. S., Baird, D. D., & Darden, F. R.(2001). Measures ofmenopausal status in relationto demographic, reproductive and behavioral characteristics in a population-based study of women aged 35–49 years.American Journal of Epidemiology, 153, 1159–1165.
Dennerstein, L. (1996). Well-being, symptoms and the menopausal transition.Maturitas, 23, 147–157.
Dennerstein, L., Smith, A. M., Morse, C., Burger, H., Green, A., Hopper, J., & Ryan, M. (1993). Menopausal symptoms in Australian women.Medical Journal of Australia, 159, 232–236.
Department of Primary Industries and Energy & Department of Human Services and Health. (1994).Rural, remote and metropolitan areas classification: 1991 census edition. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.
Dudley, E. C., Hopper, J. L., Taffe, J., Guthrie, R., Burger, H. G., & Dennerstein, L. (1998). Using longitudinal data to define the perimenopausebymenstrual cycle characteristics.Climacteric, 1, 18–25.
Garamszegi, C., Dennerstein, L., Dudley, E., Guthrie, J., Ryan, M., & Burger, H. (1998). Menopausal status: Subjectively and objectively defined.Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 19, 165–173.
Greer, G. (1991).The change, women, ageing and the menopause. London: Hamish Hamilton.
Kaufert, P. (1984). Women and their healthin the middle years:A Manitoba project.Social Science and Medicine, 3, 279–281.
Kaufert, P. A., Gilbert, P., & Tate, R. (1992). The Manitoba project: A re-examiningof the link between menopause and depression.Maturitas, 14, 143–156.
Kronenberg, F. (1990). Hot flushes: Epidemiology and physiology. Multidisciplinary perspectives of menopause.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 592, 52–86.
Matthews, K. A., Wing, R. R., Kuller, L. H., Meilahn E. N., Kesley S. F., Costello, E. J. & Caggiula A. W., (1990). Influencesofnatural menopauseonpsychological characteristics and symptomsinmiddle-aged healthy women.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 345–351.
Matthews, K. A., Wing, R. R., Kuller, L. H., Meilahn, E. N. & Platinga, (1994). Influence of the perimenopause on cardiovascular risk factors and symptoms in middle-aged healthy women.Archives of Internal Medicine, 154, 2349–2355.
McKinlay, S. M., Brambilla, D. J., & Posner, J. G. (1992). The normal menopause transition.Maturitas, 14, 103–115.
Miller, Y. D., Brown,W. J., Smith, N., & Chiarelli, P. (2001). Managing urinary incontinence across the lifespan. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Mishra, G. D., Brown,W. J., & Dobson A. J. (2001).Physical and mental health: Changes during menopause transition. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Morse C. A., Dudley, E., Guthrie, J., & Dennerstein, L. (1998). Relationships between premenstrual complaints and perimenopausal experiences.Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 19, 182–191.
Oldenhave, A., Jaszmann, J. B., Haspels, A. A., & Everaerd, W. T. (1993). Impact of climacteric on well-being: A survey based on 5213 women 39–60 years old.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 168, 772–780.
Patterson, A. J., Brown, W. J., Powers, J. R., & Roberts, D. C. K. (2000). Iron deficiency, general health and fatigue: Results from the Australian Longitudinal Studyof Women’s Health.Quality of Life Research, 9, 491–497.
SAS Institute Inc. (1989).SAS/STAT User’s guide, Version 6, (Vol. 2, 4th ed.). Cary, NC: Author.
Utian, W. H. (1987). Overview on menopause.American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 156, 1280–1283.
Ware, J. E., Snow, K. K., Kosinski, M., & Gandek, B. (1993).SF–36 Health survey manual and interpretation guide. Boston: The Health Institute, New England Medical Centre.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
The Women’s Health Australia project, which was conceived and developedby groups ofinterdisciplinary researchers at the Universities of Newcastle and Queensland, is funded by the Commonwealth DepartmentofHealth and Aged Care. The supportofEli Lilly for partofthe analysis costs for this article is gratefully acknowledged. Finally, we would like to thank all the participants for their valuable contribution to this project.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brown, W.J., Mishra, G.D. & Dobson, A. Changes in physical symptoms during the menopause transition. Int. J. Behav. Med. 9, 53–67 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM0901_04
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327558IJBM0901_04